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A lesbian mom who helped lead a local Boy Scouts pack in Ohio has been kicked out of the organization because of her sexual orientation, even though other parents had long known she is a lesbian. A Supreme Court ruling in 2000 upheld the rights of The Boy Scouts of America to bar gays and atheists.

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Zach Wahls, an Iowa Eagle Scout, this week delivered 275,000 petitions to a national Boy Scouts of America meeting in Orlando, urging the organization to drop its ban on openly gay scouts and troop leaders. The petitions, generated by Change.org, urged the Boy Scouts to reinstate Jennifer Tyrrell, an Ohio den leader who was dismissed because she is an out lesbian.

The Colorado Senate yesterday passed a bill establishing civil unions for same-sex couples, but the bill faces an uncertain future in the state House, where a similar one was defeated last year. The legislation, sponsored by openly gay Democratic state Sen. Pat Steadman, was denounced by some of Steadman's colleagues who cited Bible verses on the floor of the Senate.

With numerous out candidates seeking seats in Congress, as well as local and state offices, 2012 is shaping up to be a banner year for LGBT Americans in politics, according to this article. Rep. Tammy Baldwin, D-Wis., who could become the first openly gay U.S. senator if she wins her race this year, said being honest about yourself is important in politics. “If you’re not in a room, the conversation is about you. If you’re in the room, the conversation is with you,” Baldwin said.

Advocates yesterday praised the Senate for including LGBT-specific protections in a bill that would reauthorize programs aimed at reducing domestic violence. "Lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people are not immune from this violence, and their distress should not be further heightened by a lack of proper response from service providers or law enforcement," said Rea Carey, executive director of the National Gay & Lesbian Task Force. A version of the bill in the House is not expected to include the LGBT language.

Who’s shaking things up, making their mark and still enjoying their youth? Advocate magazine’s list of 40 leaders under age 40 in politics, media, sports and science includes: GLSEN staffer Andy Marra; John Campbell, the 24-year-old who was elected treasurer in Harrisburg, Pa.; and Mike Halterman, founder of Out on the Town magazine, which serves an LGBT readership across the South.